Big 12 Power Rankings: What we learned from Iowa State, KU and K-State in Week 0
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Iowa State opened with a key Big 12 win over Kansas State to lead Week 0 standings.
- Arizona State retains top spot in rankings despite questions about roster depth.
- Kansas showcased offensive strength with Jalon Daniels in dominant debut victory.
For most of the country, college football season will get underway this weekend, with 91 games involving FBS teams scheduled to be played between now and Monday.
But things feel a little different in the Big 12.
Three teams have already played, and one of them (Iowa State) was able to jump to the top of the conference standings in Week 0 after it beat a league rival (Kansas State) in Dublin.
That is good news for people like me who try to rank Big 12 teams every week during the fall. We already have three data points to go on. This is no longer a total guess.
With that in mind, let’s take some time to analyze everything we have seen up to this point — heading into Week 1 — and project what will happen in the future with a new edition of Big 12 Power Rankings.
Early favorites in the Big 12 championship race
1. Arizona State (0-0): Can the Sun Devils repeat as Big 12 champions now that Cam Skattebo is in the NFL? I have my doubts. But Kenny Dillingham is a terrific young coach, Sam Leavitt is an up-and-coming quarterback and Jordyn Tyson is an electric wide receiver. I will rank Arizona State at the top until I see a compelling reason not to.
2. Texas Tech (0-0): The Red Raiders have never before played for a Big 12 championship. But they have the roster, at least on paper, to make history this season.
3. Iowa State (1-0, 1-0 Big 12): Everyone is playing catch up behind the Cyclones, who opened the season with a gritty 24-21 win over Kansas State in Dublin. Iowa State had to replace a lot of talent heading into this season, but it returned one of the league’s most clutch quarterbacks in Rocco Becht.
4. Baylor (0-0): We will learn plenty about the Bears this weekend. Baylor opens the season with a much-anticipated home game against Auburn on Friday. A victory would show that Dave Aranda’s team is ready to build on last year’s hot finish. A loss would signal another slow start.
Making sense of Game 1 from the Jayhawks and Wildcats
5. Kansas State (0-1, 0-1 Big 12): The Wildcats are in last place of the Big 12 standings, but that doesn’t mean their season is over. Far from it. For whatever reason, Chris Klieman can’t figure out how to beat Iowa State. But that has never stopped K-State from winning nine other games on the schedule before. A similar outcome could be in store for the Wildcats in 2025. They could use Dylan Edwards back in the lineup, though.
6. Kansas (1-0): It was only one game against a middling opponent, but the Jayhawks looked fantastic in their opening victory against Fresno State. Jalon Daniels completed 18 of 20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 47 yards on the ground. The offense looked sharp under new offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski. Maybe KU is poised for a bounce-back season.
These teams could be wild cards
7. TCU (0-0): Josh Hoover is back at quarterback after putting up huge numbers last season, but much of his supporting cast is no longer on the roster. Is he good enough to keep the Horned Frogs moving through the air? We may get our answer right away in a must-see game on Monday against North Carolina and Bill Belichick.
8. BYU (0-0): If not for Arizona State, the Cougars would have been the biggest surprise in the Big 12 last season. They will try to build off that this year, but it may not be easy as they transition to a new quarterback.
9. Houston (0-0): The Cougars did well to win four games under new coach Willie Fritz last season. Perhaps they are ready to make a leap in Year 2 with Conner Weigman taking over at quarterback.
10. Utah (0-0): What happened to the Utes last season? They were expected to compete for a Big 12 championship and didn’t even qualify for a bowl game. Was that a fluke? Or is Utah in long-term trouble? It will be interesting to see how the team performs with a new quarterback. A tough test looms in Week 1 against UCLA.
11. Colorado (0-0): Deion Sanders is back as coach. But Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are now in the NFL. It will be difficult for the Buffaloes to win big without that kind of high-profile talent on the roster, but not impossible.
Teams with uneasy coaching situations
12. Arizona (0-0): Brent Brennan never won more than seven games during a single season at San Jose State, and it will be hard for him to top that mark with the Wildcats. His first year in Arizona did not go well, as the team finished 4-8. He could already be on the hot seat if the Wildcats fail to make a bowl in Year 2.
13. Cincinnati (0-0): The Bearcats will receive at least $2.5 million for playing Nebraska on Thursday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Win or lose, they’re getting paid.
14. West Virginia (0-0): Rich Rodriguez will return to his old stomping grounds this season. It will be interesting to see how he goes about rebuilding the Mountaineers after so many years away, and a different philosophy than his predecessor.
15. Oklahoma State (0-0): No coach has achieved more long-term success in the Big 12 than Mike Gundy. But last season was a disaster for the Cowboys, and now he’s starting over with a brand new roster and staff. It will be a hard climb back up the standings. Good thing they open against UT-Martin.
16. UCF (0-0): The Knights went undefeated and won a “national championship” many years ago with Scott Frost as head coach. But that was a different time. UCF is in a much better conference now. The schedule is harder. And Frost never found any success at Nebraska. I don’t see him winning big in his return to Orlando. But they should handle Jacksonville State in Week 1.
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Big 12 Power Rankings: What we learned from Iowa State, KU and K-State in Week 0."